Here’s a practical way to play “Too Many Angels” by Jackson Browne on guitar: it’s typically treated as an intermediate fingerpicked song , and one lesson source places it in a lowered tuning while a chord tab source lists it in standard tuning, so there are a couple of workable approaches.

Main feel

The song has a gentle, reflective acoustic feel, with a fingerpicked pattern rather than heavy strumming. One performance/guitar-part video suggests the part is built around an open Dm-style sound , while another lesson notes a low, altered tuning and Travis-picking approach.

Chords you’ll likely use

A chord source lists these chords: A, B, B/A, C#m, C/B, E, Esus4, F#m. Another chord source shows the song in standard tuning with a simplified beginner version centered around Em, F#m, and G movements, so you may find different arrangements online depending on how close they are to the record.

How to approach it

  1. Start by listening for the bass movement, because this song depends a lot on the picked bass line more than full strumming.
  1. Practice the chord changes slowly, especially the shift between A, B, and C#m-related shapes if you’re using the more detailed arrangement.
  1. Use a light fingerpicking pattern, keeping the bass notes steady and letting the treble strings ring out naturally.
  1. If you want an easier version first, try a simplified chord chart before moving to the more accurate arrangement.

Tuning note

There is no single widely agreed tuning in the sources I found: one lesson says a lowered tuning, the guitar-part video suggests an open Dm approach, and a chord site shows standard tuning. That usually means the best choice depends on whether you want the album-like sound or a playable acoustic version.

Useful starting point

If you’re learning it by ear, begin with the verse texture: soft fingerpicking, a steady bass pulse, and clean chord changes over the vocal line. If you want the closest match to Jackson Browne’s recording, the more detailed lesson material is the better reference because it is specifically aimed at note-for-note playing.

TL;DR

Use a fingerpicked acoustic arrangement, expect some tuning variation across transcriptions, and start with the chord family around A, B, C#m, E, and F#m or a simplified standard-tuning version.